Page:Fairytales00auln.djvu/436

386 your court, and enjoy the pleasure of being listened to!" "Mister Ambassador," said the Frog, "learn that I am not the scum of the marsh; and since I must here display my science, Come, Fairies and vassals, appear!" All the little frogs, rats, snails, lizards, with herself at their head, appeared accordingly, but no longer in the form of such nasty little animals; their figures were lofty and majestic, their countenances pleasing, with eyes more brilliant than the stars; each of them wore a crown of jewels on its head, and upon the shoulders a royal mantle of velvet, lined with ermine, with a long train which was carried by a male or female dwarf. At the same time, behold, trumpets, kettle-drums, hautboys and drums pierced the air with their lively and martial sounds; all the fairies and vassals began to dance a ballet, so lightly that the least jump carried them up to the ceiling. The attentive King and the intended Queen were not less astonished, when they saw all at once these honourable dancers metamorphosed into flowers—jasmine, jonquils, violets, pinks, and tuberoses. It was an animated parterre, the evolutions of which exhilarated the senses as much by their perfume as by their grace.

A moment afterwards the flowers vanished, and several fountains appeared in their places; they rose rapidly and fell into a large canal, which flowed at the foot of the castle. It was covered with little painted and gilded galleys, so pretty and gay, that the Princess invited her ambassadors to go in with her to sail about. They did so willingly, considering it to be an entertainment that would be followed by a happy wedding.

As soon as they were embarked, the galley, the stream, and all the fountains disappeared, and the frogs became frogs again. The King inquired what had become of his Princess. The Frog replied, "Sire, you have no right to any one but the Queen your wife; if I were not so great a friend of hers I should not give myself any trouble about your intended marriage, but she is so good, and your daughter Moufette is so lovely, that you ought not to lose a moment in trying to set them free." "I confess to you, Madam Frog," said the King, "that if I could believe my wife was not dead, there is nothing in the world I would not do to recover her." "After all the wonders I have performed in your presence," replied